


The Importance of Words

by Diamondduchess



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/M, Interviews, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-02
Updated: 2013-11-02
Packaged: 2017-12-31 06:40:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1028487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diamondduchess/pseuds/Diamondduchess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Katniss goes back to answer the question correctly</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Importance of Words

I’m blinded for a few moments from the stage lights, I’m being lifted on top of a platform, the capitol’s colourful and distorted audience are screaming congratulations and throwing hothouse flowers at me.   
In that moment I realise where I am, that I got my wish, a do-over. 

To save Peeta, to save District Twelve.   
To stop the rebellion, to stop Coin.   
Prim will not have to grow up too soon.   
Gale won’t be able to grow uncaring of human life, and create horrible weapons.   
Peeta won’t be tortured by Snow. 

We will all survive. 

I just have to show the whole of Panem my love for Peeta.

I hug Peeta tightly, just breathing in his scent, I cannot imagine not having him next to me again. No matter how long he’s been away from the bakery he still smells of freshly baked bread and cinnamon. He’s pulling me back to kiss me; I hear the dull roar of the crowd and feel Peeta pushing Caesar away, like the first time. But instead of getting nervous and looking at Hamitch for support, I cling to Peeta and don’t look at the capitol crazies. 

 

Caesar’s just asked the question that ruined it for us all the last time, when I was still so confused about Peeta, the games, loyalty to Gale and terrified of president Snow. Yet now I know what I have to say, what I’ve been wishing I could – no should – have told Peeta when I had the chance. I should have told him on the rooftop, told him why I treated him the way I did after the games. I squeeze his fingers, close my eyes briefly to make sure I can do this. 

‘Peeta had been so nice through all the training and then when he said he’d loved me on the interviews I thought he was faking it, trying to get sponsors. That first night with the careers just seemed to confirm it, I’d liked him up to that point. I felt betrayed, I wanted to hate him.’ 

I knew I needed to tell the truth, give an insight to my mind to the people, even capitol people can relate to. ‘I just focused on surviving, getting back to Prim, then the TrackerJacker attack happened and he saved me, I had doubts, with Rue dying and the TrackerJacker venom wearing off I didn't have time to process everything. I realised he was faking to the careers, not me, he really liked me. i realised he was still looking out for me, all that time. I'd been shutting him out because i didn't want to have to kill him to get back to Prim, I owed from when i was starving to death.  
'I liked him, he didn't deserve to die and I didn't want to have to live with knowing I'd killed him, i wanted him to survive, i wanted to get back to Prim but that could never happen. Their was only ever one winner. When the rule change was annouced, when I yelled out I think everyone can guess what I thought then, I could save him too, we could come through the games.   
'I realised I could keep him, I just wish he’d tell me why I deserve him? Why he loves me, I’m not anything special. I'm horrible, I don't talk to many people and have a horrible temper and he still likes me. He still wanted to save me, he's so much better than anyone I know. I don't deserve him.’ 

The crowd cry out at the end of my speech, Caesar is crying at the end. I hardly notice, looking at Peeta, sat there next to me, I’ve been gripping his fingers tighter than I ever did on the chariot ride. 

I want his answer, now I’ve said it. I don’t want to lose him, now I’ve got him back. ‘Peeta?’

‘You’ve got me for as long as you want me, your perfect.’ Peeta brings a hand up to my cheek. 

‘You’ll stay with me?’ I ask. Already knowing the answer, this boy has been through so much to be with me and has loved me for years but I need everyone, including Gale to see that I love him as much as he loves me. 

‘Always’, he says.

I lean over and kiss him, whispering in his ear, making sure to cover the microphone pinned to his jacket, ‘You have no idea how much I love you.’

He looks up at me, a bit mystified but happy to hear the words I say that only he can hear and knowing that everyone didn’t hear my real confession. 

‘You’re wrong and you still don’t know the effect you can have.’ 

He’s wrong, I do know my effect, I’ve learned how to act when I need too, when people I love could die if I’m not good enough.


End file.
